What is iexplorer.exe?

The .exe extension on a filename indicates an executable file. Executable files may, in some cases, harm your computer. Therefore, please read below to decide for yourself whether the iexplorer.exe on your computer is a Trojan that you should remove, or whether it is a file belonging to the Windows operating system or to a trusted application.

Description:Iexplorer.exe is not essential for Windows and will often cause problems. The iexplorer.exe file is located in the C:\Windows folder.
Known file sizes on Windows 8/7/XP are 41,984 bytes (10% of all occurrences), 40,448 bytes and 20 more variants.
The program starts upon Windows startup (see Registry key: MACHINE\Run, Run, MACHINE\RunServices, MACHINE\RunOnceEx, MACHINE\RunOnce, Winlogon\Shell, DEFAULT\Run, win.ini, Userinit, RunOnce, MACHINE\RunServicesOnce, NT\Load).
The iexplorer.exe file is not a Windows core file. There is no description of the program. The program has no visible window. It is located in the Windows folder, but it is not a Windows core file.
Iexplorer.exe is able to monitor applications and manipulate other programs.
Therefore the technical security rating is 67% dangerous; however you should also read the user reviews.

If iexplorer.exe is located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder, the security rating is 64% dangerous. The file size is 20,480 bytes (19% of all occurrences), 417,792 bytes and 14 more variants.
The file is not a Windows core file. The program has no visible window. There is no file information. The file is an unknown file in the Windows folder. The program starts upon Windows startup (see Registry key: MACHINE\Run, Run, MACHINE\RunServices, MACHINE\RunOnceEx, MACHINE\RunOnce, Winlogon\Shell, DEFAULT\Run, win.ini, Userinit, RunOnce, MACHINE\RunServicesOnce, NT\Load).
Iexplorer.exe is able to monitor applications, manipulate other programs, hide itself and record keyboard and mouse inputs.

If iexplorer.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's profile folder, the security rating is 49% dangerous. The file size is 64,000 bytes (9% of all occurrences), 87,040 bytes and 9 more variants.
Iexplorer.exe is not a Windows core file. It is a file with no information about its developer. The process starts when Windows starts (see Registry key: MACHINE\Run, Run, MACHINE\RunServices, MACHINE\RunOnceEx, MACHINE\RunOnce, Winlogon\Shell, DEFAULT\Run, win.ini, Userinit, RunOnce, MACHINE\RunServicesOnce, NT\Load).
The program is not visible.
Iexplorer.exe is able to record keyboard and mouse inputs and manipulate other programs.

If iexplorer.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\, the security rating is 68% dangerous. The file size is 645,120 bytes (16% of all occurrences), 1,630,208 bytes and 4 more variants.

If iexplorer.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows, the security rating is 80% dangerous. The file size is 195,072 bytes (50% of all occurrences), 204,140 bytes, 540,672 bytes or 470,528 bytes.

If iexplorer.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files", the security rating is 54% dangerous. The file size is 57,344 bytes (33% of all occurrences), 1,206,552 bytes, 34,816 bytes, 93,184 bytes or 387,402 bytes.

If iexplorer.exe is located in the Windows Temp folder, the security rating is 55% dangerous. The file size is 40,448 bytes (50% of all occurrences), 152,576 bytes or 2,112 bytes.

If iexplorer.exe is located in the "My Files" folder, the security rating is 66% dangerous. The file size is 790,528 bytes.

If iexplorer.exe is located in a subfolder of Windows Temp folder, the security rating is 56% dangerous. The file size is 323,048 bytes.

If iexplorer.exe is located in the "C:\Program Files" folder, the security rating is 46% dangerous. The file size is 99,787 bytes.

If iexplorer.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows\System32, the security rating is 100% dangerous. The file size is 502,272 bytes.

External information from Paul Collins:There are different files with the same name:

"iexplorer lptt01" definitely not required. Variant of the RapidBlaster parasite (in an "iexplorer" folder in Program Files). It is not recommended you manually uninstall RapidBlaster but use RapidBlaster Killer - see here

"Internet Explorer" definitely not required. Added by the LORSIS WORM! Note - the legitimate IE (iexplore.exe) does not figure in Msconfig/Startup unless added manually and this loads from the "RunServices" key

"Internet Explorer Updater" definitely not required. Added by the REUR.B WORM! Note - this is not the legitimate Internet Explorer (iexplore.exe)

Important: Some malware also uses the file name iexplorer.exe, for example TROJ_SMALL.AZH or TROJ_GEN.R47C3A4 (detected by TrendMicro), and Worm:Win32/Kufgal.B or Backdoor:Win32/Huceqoo.A (detected by Microsoft). Therefore, you should check the iexplorer.exe process on your PC to see if it is a threat. We recommend Security Task Manager for verifying your computer's security. This was one of the Top Download Picks of The Washington Post and PC World.

Score

User Comments

Malware

hogging all virtual memory on three of my family's computers. It seems to want to share internet providing duties between explorer.exe and itself, iexplorer.exe. I'm not sure why. All I know is that it slows the internet to a crawl. Dial up seems faster than DSL with iexplorer.exe. I ended the process in my virtual memory and it seemed to stop and my connection was back to normal. bman9089

This one took me awhile to figure out. First of all, the iexplorer I got was a memory hog that slowed down the internet. It immitates the good file, iexplore.exe. I found it and deleted it in the internet explorer folder. After deleting it, windows "healed" that "wound" by replacing it by itself with iexplore.exe. And since then, I haven't had any problems with it. Remember, don't delete iexplore.exe, this is a good file. Delete the malware copy/immitation iexplorer.exe, and, if it works like mine did, windows will replace the missing hole you've created with the real file. bman9089

Spyware created in C:\windows\iexplorer.exe Rob

I had one and ended up to reformat . user1

I know that I have been trying to get rid of it for 2 weeks. I've been through just about every commercial malware/ad/spy scanner available. I know that it is in C:\windows and that it relies on another root file to respawn after deleting it. I know that it now has the power to Autoclose Task manager while it is running. I know that if you completely remove the good Iexplorer in program files, it cannot execute it's actions. It will complain to you that it cannot access internet explorer (lol in your face). I know that I have removed over 20 viruses from my computer using pscan.exe by Ikarus. Kasiban

It also exists in folder "Programme Files/Internet Explorer" in my computer. It has been downloaded automatically and windows security system asked me whether to run it or not with a warning of is being suspecious. Ritesh Jain

it keeps poping up with an error and freezing up win98 and i need help what to do Andy

I deleted the Program (CiD Help) and the only instance of iexplorer i get now is when i open internet explorer Tyson L Harris

I use the public library time is valuable. When it comes on, the screen turns off, and causes waste of time to start all over again. I am not authorized to do anything to correct the problem. samwinirise

Stopped the process and deleted it. Took a couple tries before iexplorer.exe stopped reappearing as a process. It's not internet explorer because internet explorer shouldn't be running all the time in the background. lil2564

malware caused by project neptune keylogger.. have it in my pc since i experiment this software, be careful guys.... you should know how to identify... check the signature and verification to be able to trust an application. mhon

Best practices for resolving iexplorer issues

A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with iexplorer. This means running a scan for malware, cleaning your hard drive using cleanmgr and sfc /scannow, uninstalling programs that you no longer need, checking for Autostart programs (using msconfig) and enabling Windows' Automatic Update. Always remember to perform periodic backups, or at least to set restore points.

Should you experience an actual problem, try to recall the last thing you did, or the last thing you installed before the problem appeared for the first time. Use the resmon command to identify the processes that are causing your problem. Even for serious problems, rather than reinstalling Windows, you are better off doing a repair of your installation, or in the case of Windows 8, executing the DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth command. This allows you to repair the operating system without losing data.

To help you analyze the iexplorer.exe process on your computer, the following programs have proven to be helpful: Security Task Manager displays all running Windows tasks, including embedded hidden processes, such as keyboard and browser monitoring or Autostart entries. A unique security risk rating indicates the likelihood of the process being potential spyware, malware or a Trojan. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware detects and removes sleeping spyware, adware, Trojans, keyloggers, malware and trackers from your hard drive.